1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for collecting fluid fractions, and more particularly, to collect the fluid fractions by capillary attraction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous fluid fraction collectors are known, for example through U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,218, which is an appendix to this specification. FIG. 1 is a schematical perspective view of the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,218. The prior apparatus provides a collector 2 for dispensing liquid from a liquid source (not shown) to receptacles 4 that are positioned on a rotatable turntable 6. The turntable 6 is connected to a fraction collector casing 8 via a support arm 10 such that the turntable 6 is rotatably mounted at one end of the support arm 10. The support arm 10 at its other end being rotatably mounted to the fraction collector casing 8. Thereby, it is possible to align any position of the turntable 6 under a dispensing tube 14, which is positioned on a holding arm 12 to dispense the liquid into one of receptacles 4 placed anywhere on the turntable 6.
The prior apparatus combines the features of a resting outlet tube, short attached tubing length and small bench space required for the turntable collector. Thus, the fraction collector 2 can be provided with different size receptacles, including provided with the receptacles different sizes on the same turntable 6. Since the receptacle 4 moves, rather than the dispensing tube does, the risk of missing drops is reduced. As the dispensing tube is at rest with respect to the receptacles 4, it can be positioned very near the outlet of any liquid feeding device, such as the outlet of a liquid chromatography column, thereby providing for the possibly shortest attached tubing.
Even though the collector 2 of the prior apparatus provides many advantages, it is not good enough. The collector 2 is very expensive and not easily moved when it is necessary to move the collector 2 to another plate. The collector 2 may cost thousands dollars or more. When it is necessary to collect a special fluid, e.g. a poison fluid, that should exist in a special space, e.g. a vacuum space, it is difficult to move the collector 2 to the vacuum space for collecting the poison fluid. The collector 2 may need and electronic apparatus for controlling the fluid to drop into the receptacles 4 respectively during a period of time, or controlling the position between the receptacles 4 and the dispensing tube 14.
Therefore, it is an intention to provide an improved apparatus for collecting fluid fractions, which can overcome the drawbacks of the prior pparatus.